Bearing for measuring instruments.



` M. HELM. i BEARING FOR MEAS NG INSTRUMENTS.

' APPLIoATloN r1 m1291912.

'1,10451851(` 111111161 July 21, 1911 w 'f/vx/ETA I 3y AX HELM H15' TTDRNEY in.) a

MAX Hlltlurt, or'. Peuxow, GERMANY, ASSIQNOR ro amenant. nanowar() COMPANY, .e CoRPoaaTioN or New Yoan.

:enaame Foa ianasuitrne msrnmirnnrs.

tut-@41,1139- Specicat'ion of Letters a'tent.

lateented July 2i, 19ML appneeaon mea may ai, rsu-2. senat ne. @aerea To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MAX HELM, a subject of the mperor of Germany, residing at Pankow, Germany, have invented ycertain new and useful Improvements in Bearings for Measuring Instrunients,` of which the following is a specification. A

My invention relates to hearings OE measuring instruments and particularly to upper bearings for electric meters.

The objects of my invention are to provide an upper bearing for such instruments which will be self-lubricating, and which will be elastic or flexible, but in which the elasticity is restricted within the elastic limit. Upper bearings for measuring instruments have heretofore been constructed so as to give a certain amount of flexibility to the upper end of the rotating shaft, My present invention is an improvement in the construction of such bearings, and aims to limit the exibility of the delicate elements constituting the bearing within such reasonable bounds that the limit of elasticity can never be exceeded, and thus the chances of injuring the bearing by hard blows, such as are likely to be received durin transportation of the apparatus, are re uced to a minimum.

By my invention the rotating elementof the meter is provided at its upper end with an oil chamber, Vand a guide pin extends into the chamber to limit transverse movement of the chamber. The usual pintle secured to either the pin or the chamber tends normally to hold the chamber out of engagement with the pin.

For a full understanding of my invention, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, in which the gure is a sectional elevation showing one embodiment ofthe novel features of the invention.

In the drawing, the rotatable shaft l of a meter, for example, an electric meter, isV

provided at its top with an oil chamber 2 containing a quantity of oil 3. The shaft and oil chamber are represented in the drawl ing as comprising two separate partrs but if desired, they may be made integral. A guide pin el is arranged in an opening in the upper stationary support 5 of the frame of the meter. The pin 4 is attached to a top G which rests upon the support 5 and is flexibly held in position by means of the spring T.

Inthe construction illustrated in the drawing, I have shown the flexible pintle 8 forming the bearing' pivot for the revolving shaft, secured to the I pin It, although it is evident that the pintle may be secured in other Ways. The pintle 8 passes through a bearing plate E), preferably made of metal and securedA in the oil chamber 2. a dust tight shell 10 incloses the lower part of the oil chamber and excludes dust from the bearing between the pintle 8 and the plate 9. The Wall of the oil chamber is extended upwardly so as to embrace the guide pin 4. A slight clearance is allowed between the upper Wall of the chamber and the pin, but this clearance is such that the strain on the meter shaft and consequently on the pintle 8 is not permit-ted to exceed the limit of elasticity of the pintle. rIhe pintle serves to maintain the shaft and oil chamber'v in alinement and to normally hold the chamber out of engagement with the guide pin. Openings 1l are provided in the extension of the oil chamber for observin the alinement of the different elements of t e bearing.

The operation of my device is as follows z-A rotation of the shaft l and oil chamber 2 causes the oil in the latter to rise on the pintle 8 and lubricate the bearing between the pintle and the plate 9. The guide pin 4, by limiting transverse movement of the extension of the oil chamber, prevents undue strain on the iiexible pintle due to strains or distortions in the alinement of the meter shaft. It will thus be seen that I provide a iiexible upper bearing for the meter shaft which is protected from injurious strains and is self-lubricating. y l

`While I have described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I do not limit myself to the same, but aim in the appended claims to cover all embodiments which will be obvious to those skilled in the art and which are within the scope of my invention.

`What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is,-

l. A meter bearingr comprising a rotatable oil chamber having*r an extended upper wall, a guide pin extending into the upper part of the chamber and surrounded by the up per wall thereof and adapted to limit transverse movement of the chamber, means operutively supporting said guide pin and permitting a movement thereof, and a pintle secured to said pi the Chamber and the pin o 9. A meter bearing comprisi shaft, an oil chamber at th said shaft, a. stationary suppor opening, a top mem port, a guid and extendi into the upper part of sai 1o limiting transv a pintle normally of en agement With the pin, fleXib y holding the t 3. A meter bea; ing com shaft, an oil chamber at said shaft, a stationary sup ber resting on e pin secure ng through sai BFS@ IIlOV @men n and normally holding opening, a top member resting on said suput of engagement. port, a guide pin secured to said top member ng a rotatable and extending through Said opening and end of into the upper part of said chamberand t having an limiting transverse movement of the latter, said supa pintle secured to said pin and normally d to said top member holding the chamber out of engagement d opening and with the pin, and means for flexibly holding d chamber and the top upon said support.

t of the latter, In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set holding the chamber out my hand this first day of May, 1912.

and means for n said support.

a rotatable Witnesses: the upper end of port, having an MAX HELM.

FoRsYTH FIVELL, 'HENRY HASPER. 

